Controlled growth and phase transition of silver nanowires with dense lengthwise twins and stacking faults

Large-scale face-centered cubic (FCC)-Ag nanowires with dense (111) stacking faults and (111)/[112] growth twins were prepared by the electrodeposition in the holes of porous alumina template. The obtained twins and stacking faults in Ag nanowires are parallel to the axis of the nanowire and persist along the whole wire length. Importantly, novel 4H-Ag nanowires can form spontaneously after aging or heating this kind of FCC-Ag nanowire. This study contributes to the understanding of planar defect formation in the electrodeposition process and could be used to control the crystalline structure of Ag nanowires.